Pop Culture Movies and More: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

It is the 23rd century. Admiral James T. Kirk is an instructor at Starfleet Academy and feeling old; the prospect of attending his ship, the U.S.S. Enterprise, now a training ship, on a two-week cadet cruise does not make him feel any younger. But the training cruise becomes a deadly serious mission when his nemesis Khan Noonien Singh, infamous conqueror from late 20th century Earth, appears after years of exile. Khan later revealed that the planet Ceti Alpha VI exploded, and shifted the orbit of the fifth planet as a Mars-like haven. He begins capturing Project Genesis, a top-secret device holding the power of creation itself and schemes the utter destruction of Kirk. The Wrath of Khan is easily Star Trek at its peak and deemed as the best movie in this series by Trekkies and it's plain to see why. This is probably my favourite Star Trek movie, tying with Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986), which I equally adore. Following the previous instalment Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979), this movie sought to bring back the formula and style of the original Star Trek (TV Series 1966-1969), returning it to its roots of being a swashbuckling space opera unlike the first movie, which was very slow with the story being less of the focus and no action present. This film goes all out on all fronts with a phenomenal story, breathtaking effects, heart-stopping action, outstanding acting, a tremendous antagonist and heartfelt emotional segments, which are all enriched by the magnificent score of James Horner. The visuals are taken to a whole new level in this adventure with the hiring of ILM who were able to make all of the practical and special effects look so incredibly real. This movie is also well known for containing the first all-CG sequence in a feature film during the Genesis creation sequence, which was a fantastic display of the early effect. I will never stop being blown away by the Enterprise. It looks extraordinary in every scene, especially during my favourite sequence where it enters the Mutara Nebula after sustaining heavy damage and being pursued by Khan. The whole scene feels like a submarine battle with neither ship being able to see one another, having to rely on their training and skill to win, which leaves us waiting in bated breath as to who will win. The setting is unparalleled to anything I have seen in any other sci-fi movie in terms of being so visually stunning with the illuminated purple, blue and pink swirls of the Nebula. Our main antagonist Khan easily steals the show with his marvellous performance that is unlike any other villain I have seen. Khan is a genetically enhanced superhuman who appeared in the original series episode 'Space Seed' back in 1967, which was one of the highlights of the show. This movie brought him back to seek his revenge in what would be the only film in the series to centre around a previous events of the series and yet, it is still enjoyable for new viewers who haven't seen the show. I think Khan is one of the greatest villains in cinema history. His line delivery is superb matched by his dialogue, making him constantly entertaining and one of those characters you just can't help but love. There are also so many quotable lines featured throughout that are frequently recited by me. From Kirk's iconic scream "KHAAANNN!" to my favourite, also from Kirk, "You've managed to kill just about everyone else, but like a poor marksman, you keep missing the target!" No matter how many times I hear it, I will always laugh due to how he says it. If you don't want any spoilers then skip past the red. *Spoilers* Of course, the most iconic part of the whole film is the sacrifice and death of Spock. It was such an emotional moment certain to choke up any viewer, Trekkie or not. It's such a powerful scene, and yes, they bring him back literally in the next movie, but it wouldn't be Star Trek without him. Overall, The Wrath of Khan is some of the best pieces of sci-fi out there. All of the regular cast outdo themselves and are matched by the stupendous villain. With beautiful visuals, score and acting, it all culminates into a brilliant action adventure from the golden age of movies, the 80s. Also, check out the sequel Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984).